TO  THE  CLERGY  AND  LAITY 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 


THE  COLLECTION  OF 
NORTH  CAROLINIANA 


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TO  THE  CLERGY  AND    LAITY    OF   THE    PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH    IN  THE  STATE  OF  NORTH   CAROLINA. 


Dear  Brethren: — The  approaching  holy  feast  of  Trinity  Sunday 
will  be  the  two  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  first  recorded  adminis- 
tration of  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  within  the  territory  of 
North  Carolina.  Some  may  conjecture  that  earlier  instances  are 
probable,  as  certainly  they  were  possible ;  but  the  first  of  which  we 
have  any  record  is  that  mentioned  by  Governor  Glover  in  a  letter  to 
Henry  Compton,  Bishop  of  London,  dated  September  25,  1708 
(Hawks's  N.  C,  II,  301,  and  N.  C.  C.  R.,  I,  689),  in  these  words :  "The 
Reverend  Richard  Marsden,  waiting  here  for  a  passage  to  South  Caro- 
lina, thought  it  convenient  to  administer  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  which  is  the  first  time  I  can  learn  of  its  being  administered 
in  this  poor  country  ;  this  was  done  on  Trinity  Sunday,  1706." 

We,  your  Bishops  and  servants  in  Christ,  feel  that  so  interesting  an 
anniversary  should  not  be  allowed  to  pass  unnoticed.  It  marks  in  a 
special  way  the  feeble  beginnings  of  our  ancient  Church  in  this  new 
country;  it  recalls  the  pathetic  and  heroic  memories  of  those  faithful 
men  who  brought  into  the  civilization  of  a  new  continent  the  leaven 
of  our  historic  faith,  worship,  and  polity.  We  call  upon  our  brethren 
of  the  Clergy  of  North  Carolina  to  remind  our  lay  people  of  these 
sacred  memories  and  associations  of  our  past,  and  especially  on  this 
coming  Trinity  Sunday  to  remember  before  God  with  devout  grati- 
tude those  of  His  servants  departed  to  whom  we  owe  so  much,  the 
Clergy  and  Churchmen  of  our  Colonial  days. 


We  therefore  set  forth  and  authorize  for  use  in  all  our  churches  on 
Trinity  Sunday,  June  10,  1906,  immediately  before  the  final  Blessing, 
or  after  the  General  Thanksgiving  in  Morning  and  Evening  Prayer, 
the  special  form  of  prayer  printed  on  the  following  page. 

"S.  P.  G." 

In  connection  with  this  interesting  anniversary  we  desire  to  call 
your  attention  to  the  fact  that 

The  Venerable  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel, 

to  which  the  Church  in  the  United  States,  and  in  an  especial  manner 
the  Church  in  North  Carolina,  is  indebted,  under  God,  "for  its  first 
foundation  and  for  long  continuance  of  nursing  care  and  protection," 
is  just  at  this  time  compelled  to  remove  from  its  present  offices,  and 
to  provide  a  new  home  for  itself.  It  has  been  suggested  that  American 
churchmen  should  offer  to  take  upon  themselves  to  provide  the 
"Chapel"  or  the  "Board  Room"  in  the  new  quarters  of  the  Society  ;  and 
Mr.  Robert  Treat  Paine,  85  State  Street,  Boston,  has  consented  to  act 
as  treasurer  of  a  fund  to  be  raised  by  voluntary  personal  subscriptions 
to  carry  out  this  purpose. 

Will  you  not  bring  this  matter  to  the  attention  of  your  people,  and 
offer  to  receive  and  forward  to  Mr.  Paine  any  donations  which  may 
be  intrusted  to  you?  Some  of  our  parishes  have  direct  connection  with 
the  work  of  the  missionaries  of  this  Society,  and  an  almost  unbroken 
continuity  of  ministration  from  those  days  to  the  present.  It  is 
thought  that  some  at  least  of  our  people  may  be  interested  in  con- 
tributing to  such  an  object. 

Your  brethren  and  servants  in  Christ, 

Jos.  Blount  Cheshire, 

Bishop  of  North  Carolina. 

Robert  Strange, 

Bislwp  of  East  Carolina. 

Junius  M.  Horner, 

Bishop  of  Ashevillc. 

Raleigh,  N.  C,  May  30,  1906. 


Prayer  of  Special  Commemoration  and  Thanksgiving, 
Trinity  Sunday,  June  10,  1906. 

.0  Cod  of  our  fathers,  Who,  through  the  labors  of  Thy  servants  in 
past  ages,  hast  built  up  Thy  Kingdom  in  this  great  country  and 
nation,  toe  give  Thee  hearty  thanks  and  most  high  praise,  as  for  the 
lives  and  labors  of  all  those  faithful  missionaries  and  pastors  toho 
gave  themselves  to  Thy  service  in  the  Thirteen  American  Colonies,  so 
especially  at  this  time,  for  those  who  in  the  Province  and  Colony  of 
North  Carolina  ministered  Thy  Word  and  Sacraments  to  the  people. 
Into  this  strawge  land  they  came,  the  messengers  of  Thy  Truth  and 
Love,  and  through  many  trials  and  dangers  they  sought  Thy  wander- 
ing sheep.  We  thank  Thee  for  their  faith  and  patience,  for  their  suf- 
ferings and  labors,  and  for  the  fruits  of  their  sacrifices  which  we 
to-day  enjoy.  Thou  didst  water  with  the  deios  of  Thy  grace  tlie  little 
vine  which  on  these  shores  they  planted;  Thou  madest  room  for  it, 
so  that  when  it  had  taken  root  it  filled  the  land. 

Continue,  tee  pray  Thee,  Thy  love  and  favor  to  Thy  Church  and 
people;  pardon  our  sins,  fill  us  with  Thy  Spirit,  sustain  us  with  the 
heavenly  food  of  Thy  holy  Word  and  Sacraments,  keep  us  faithful  to 
Thy  Truth,  make  Thy  Church  a  light  and  a  guide  and  a  sure  founda- 
tion; bless  our  State  and  our  country,  and  hasten  the  coming  of  Thy 
Kingdom;  through  Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord.     Amen. 


The  foregoing  "Prayer  of  Special  Commemoration  and  Thanks- 
giving" is  hereby  licensed  for  use  on  Trinity  Sunday,  June  10,  1906. 


00034013353 

FOR  USE  ONLY  IN 
THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 


